Forestry Statistics 2015 - Sources

Sources: Woodland area and planting

Under the Forestry Act 1967, it is illegal to fell trees in Great Britain without prior approval, although there are a few exceptions (for trees below a specified size, dangerous trees, and very small scale felling operations). There is a presumption against removal of woodland and loss of forest cover in the UK, so felling licences issued under the Forestry Act will normally be conditional (where felling approval is granted subject to restocking). However, the permanent removal of trees may be granted (through an unconditional felling licence) for thinning woodland (a standard woodland management practice) or if there are overriding environmental considerations, for example to enable the restoration of important habitats (and consent may be required under the relevant Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations).

The removal of trees may also be authorised under planning regulations, to enable development (including for windfarms). In this case, a felling licence is not required.

The Forestry Commission, Natural Resources Wales and the Forest Service may also require trees to be felled to prevent the spread of pests and diseases, by serving a Statutory Plant Health Notice (SPHN) on the affected site.

Some related figures for England on felling licences and Statutory Plant Health Notices have been released. Data on the total area covered by felling licences (conditional and unconditional) and quarterly figures on the area of woodland to be felled under Statutory Plant Health Notices were released on 21 May 2015 in "Forestry Commission England Corporate Plan Performance Indicators and Woodland Indicators 2015".

Further information on felling licences (including details of exemptions) is available at:

A new Case Management System was introduced in Scotland in January 2012. This centralises the data collected on felling licences and provides more information about restocking proposals (including cases where the applicant has agreed to plant an alternative area, does not intend to restock or where open ground is being created) than has previously been gathered.